At the 50th anniversary convention of the Association of Black Psychologists, a collective of women met and discussed the role of women within ABPsi specifically and within African-centered psychology more generally. Attendees included Faye Belgrave, Denise Hatter-Fisher, Kristee Haggins, Gayle Hamlett, Pamela Jenkins, Maat Lewis, Linda James Myers, Patricia Nunley, Ifetayo Ojelade, Suzanne Randolph, Harriett Richard, Pam Shipp, and Tiffany Townsend. Our discussion touched upon several issues including how the voices of Black women can be heard (or heard more loudly) within ABPsi, what has been and what should be our contribution to ABPsi and African-centered psychology, and most importantly how can we disseminate information relevant to this topic. We committed that we would disseminate information on women and African psychology broadly via several mechanisms including blogs and other online outlets, in publications such as Psych Discourse, in meetings, and in peer-reviewed publications. As we celebrate the accomplishments of ABPsi over the past 50 years, it seemed relevant to highlight the convergence of womanism and African-centered principles. Toward this end, the goal of this paper is to provide an overview of womanism and then to provide examples of its convergence with African-centered principles. Many of our foremothers and contemporary leaders and scholars within ABPsi and African-centered psychology are/have been womanists.

Several women have also made significant contributions to writings on African-centered psychology and include (but are not limited to) Nsenga Warfield - Coppock (Afrocentric Rites of Passage), Linda James Myers (Optimal Conceptual Theory); and Cheryl Tawede Grills (African philosophy and African-centered programs. Two of the editors of ABPsi’s journal, the Journal of Black Psychology are/have been women. Kathleen Burlew served from 1988 to 2000 and Beverly Vandiver is the current editor since 2015.

Recognizing the contributions of Black women is important insofar as an overwhelming majority of graduate students receiving doctoral degrees in psychology are female. While many women have made seminal contribution to ABPsi and African-centered scholarship and practice, our collective felt it imperative to disseminate more knowledge about the work of women and the role of women in strengthening African-centered psychology. Toward this end, this first discourse provides a review of ways in which womanism and African-centered principles converge.

Womanism was coined by Alice Walker in 1983 (Walker, 1983) and defined as a Black feminist or feminist of color committed to the survival and well-being of all people. Walker’s conceptualization of womanism emphasized the commitment of Black women to resist sociopolitical oppressive conditions they and other groups have endured. Writings on womanism have described the experiences of womanism from several interdisciplinary perspectives including (1) creativity and the arts (Drake-Burnette, Garrett-Akinsanya, & Bryant-Davis), (2) literature (Temple, 2012; Thompson, 2001 ), (3) psychology (Boisnier, 2003; Bryant-Davis & Comas-Díaz; Heath, 2006)), (4) religion (Cannon, Johnson, & Sims, 2005; Harrell, Coleman, & Adams, 2014), and (5) sociology (Hill Collins, 1998) among other disciplines.

Several characteristics of a womanist are summarized in the book Womanist and Mujerista Psychologies (Bryant-Davis & Comas- Díaz, 2016). According to Bryant-Davis & Comas-Díaz, a womanist (1) does not impose a hierarchy among the oppression of racism, sexism, and poverty but recognizes all forms of oppression as necessary to address; (2) perspective is one of liberation, self-determination, and humanity for all people with special consideration for those who have been oppressed and dehumanized; (3) recognizes different ways of knowing including valuing the spirit and that which is unspoken as well as spoken; (4) loves themselves and this love extends to all humanity; (5) is communal and community oriented; and (6) seeks to celebrates all aspects of life through various mediums including the arts and the spirit.

Other aspects of womanism have been identified by other scholars. According to Ogunyemi (1985) womanists create counter narratives to hostile conditions and fight back against oppression. These counter narratives are pivotal to her resiliency. Womanism is strength based and rooted in hope and transformation (Harrell et al, 2014). This means that behavior emphasizes thriving and not just survival (Westfield, 2007). Womanists’ ways of knowing stem from informal cultural discourses that shape daily life. For example, how one knows something is informed as much by hip hop as the bible (Taylor, 2010). Womanists believe that knowledge is to be shared in various ways, including in classrooms, chat rooms, and at work. Womanist works for the whole and is invested in the survival and well-being of all people, male and female (Tsuruta, 2012).

Although the term womanism has been used primarily to refer to women of African descent, some scholars acknowledge that it is relevant for all women of color (Bryant-Davis & Comas- Díaz, 2016). Womanism is distinguished from feminism and is described by Walker as being the color purple rather than lavender, the color of feminism (Walker 1983). Feminism as defined by Pearl Cleage (1993) is “the belief that women are full human beings capable of participation and leadership in the full range of human activities- intellectual, political, social, sexual, spiritual, and economical (1993, 28; as cited in Hill Collins, p. 12). Feminism has been historically associated with White and middle-class women while womanism is inclusive of all women and all of humanity and recognizes the intersectionality of gender, race, and social class (Hill Collins, 1998).

Hudson-Weems (1992) coined the term Africana womanism, which was created to elucidate the differences between women of African descent and women of European backgrounds. She asserted that race is a critical point in any discussion of African women and that it cannot be separated from their identities as women. African womanism theory proclaims that while feminism was created to meet White woman’s needs, it simultaneously excluded critical issues pertaining to Black women by solely addressing gender disparities and ignoring racial and class issues. Hudson-Weems (2001) differentiates African womanism from contemporary feminism by a priority of the former to be family-centered and the focus of the latter to be female-centered. Accordingly, the priorities of African Womanism are race, class, and gender while the priorities of feminists is female empowerment.

Womanism is global and has existed historically and contemporarily throughout the African diaspora (Reed, 2001; Sandoval, 1991). Scholars have emphasized that Black women across the diaspora fight for self-definition and visibility while resisting socio-economic and other forms of oppression (Norwood, 2013). Finally, several scholars have written that African womanist theory is Africentric in nature (Dove, 1998; Karenga & Tsuruta, 2012; Tsuruta, 2012).

A review of womanism provides an opportunity to examine similarities between womanism and African-centered principles. The core principles of both overlap and converge as seen in Table 1. For example, both womanism and an African-centered perspective acknowledge that there are several ways to acquire knowledge. Both are communal oriented and both recognize the importance of resisting oppression and of self-determination. Other points of convergence of womanism and African-centered principles are seen in Table 1.

Table 1: Womanism and African-Centered Principles

Attribute of Womanism

African-Centered Worldview

Reference

Womanism recognizes different ways of knowing including through the spirit, and informal discourse

-An optimal worldview recognizes that one reality is both spiritual and material, and self-knowledge is the basis for all knowledge.

-Knowledge is acquired through sages.

Kaphagawani &Malherbe, 1998; Myers, 1988, 2009; Semai,1996

Womanism is global but at the same time uses a grassroots approach

The practice of “healing and managing human affairs of African people must be uncompromisingly African centered” (page 402)

Myers, 2013a;

Nobles, 2015; 2008

Womanism is communal and community oriented

Collectivist orientation emphasis interdependence, cooperation

Mbiti, 1991; Myers, 2013b; Nobles, 2004

Womanism perspective is one of liberation, self-determination, and humanity for all people

Ubutu means humanity to all and “I am what I am because of who we all are”

Dreyer, 2015; Myers, 2011; Nobles, 2004

Womanism recognizes that body, mind, and spirit are interconnected.

Balance between one’s mental, physical, and spiritual states is necessary.

Nobles, 1991; Myers & Speight, 2010; Parham, 2009

Womanism seeks to celebrate all aspects of life through various mediums including the arts and the spirit.

-The concept of spiritness is a means full of life—to have a mind, soul, energy, and passion.

-Spiritness enables the collective survival of people of African descent

Grills, 2004

Myers, 1999a, 1999b, 2013b; Parham, White, & Ajamu, 2008;

Womanism seeks to address oppression and social justice issues through creative self-expression including dance, music, hair-style, and literature

-Rhythm and movement are components of African expressions.

-Grios and story-telling is part of the oral tradition among African people.

Methodology used in womanism must be based on African women’s representation of their experiences and who they are

Research should serve the interests of people studied and research should be done by those who share visions of liberation.

Myers, 2009; Myers & Anderson, 2013; Pellerin, 2012; Semaj, 1996

In conclusion, several of the core principles of womanism converge with that of African-centered principles. To be an African womanist implies an adherence to African-centered perspectives. As we recognize ABPsi’s 50 years of self-determination, our collective encourage all persons interested in furthering knowledge to seek out information on the intersection of race and gender for African-descended women, to honor our shero’s and female ancestors who have made a way for all of us, and to consider incorporating principles of womanism and African-centered principles in the work they do.

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